The Possibility of Love
by veganwrocker
Summary: Severus Snape finally gets up the courage to approach Lily, but it doesn't exactly go according to plan.


**The Possibility of Love**

_DISCLAIMER: This fan fiction is not endorsed by (nor read by, I would assume) J. K. Rowling, Warner Brothers, Severus Snape, or Lily Evans (but possibly by Petunia Evans). J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers own all Harry Potter related themes and characters, and J. K. Rowling even wrote the entire dialog in this fic. To put it simply, I own __**nothing**__._

Severus crept into the prickly bushes behind the rusty swing-set and knelt down in his usual spot. It wasn't the most comfortable of places, to be sure, but he had the perfect view. His body was positioned so that he was looking directly at the two girls swinging; the only children on the old, torn-up playground. His eyes focused on the red-haired one. Lily, her name was. He had been watching for weeks before the older one finally said her name. Her sister's name was some other kind of flower – Daisy, or something like that – but she wasn't important. She wasn't even a witch; just a plain old Muggle. The village was full of them. It was Lily who had caught his attention the first time he saw her. Her brilliant red hair, and those gorgeous green eyes… when he discovered that she could do magic too, he was ecstatic. He had been sure that he was the only one in his tiny, boring little village who was destined for Hogwarts. Although Severus hadn't even learned her name yet, he immediately knew for certain that they were meant to be together.

Some day soon, he had told himself, he would reveal himself to her, but it would have to be done right. Today would be the day, he decided. He had been procrastinating too long, and for all he knew, if he didn't act soon, someone else might. Lily needed to be told what she was; her family of Muggles certainly couldn't do the job.

This morning he had deliberately put on his best clothes, not that this was saying much. All he had to call his own were jeans and tee shirts, but he did the best he could. He pulled on his one, treasured pair of jeans that wasn't torn; he threw on his only coat to try to conceal some of the tears and stains on his shirt; and he set off for the park. Last night as he lay in bed, to distract himself from the usual screams of his parents below, he rehearsed how their first encounter would go. At exactly the right moment, Severus would make a grand entrance from behind the bushes. He would tell Lily in a kind, gentle way why she could do all the things she could do. Astonished but pleased, she would be instantly infatuated with him, just as he was with her. Now, as he sat watching Lily soar off the swing set like some kind of beautiful bird, all he had to do was wait for the right moment.

"But I'm fine," Lily was saying now, her sister glaring at her in disapproval. "Tuney, look at this. Watch what I can do." She picked up a flower, and began to make it bloom and close repeatedly in her hand. Severus was engrossed. The things she could do were so dazzling; she had a creative streak, but all he could do was destroy things. He remembered how astonished he had been the first time had done magic… he had been watching his parents fighting from the crack in the wall of his tiny bedroom, and suddenly the pillow he had been absentmindedly hugging and twisting around in his hands had disintegrated into a million little pieces. Now he could control it a little better, but he still could never do anything like what Lily could.

"Stop it!" Petunia suddenly cried. Just as Severus had, Petunia had been staring at the flower as well, but there was a strange mixture of revulsion, longing, and fear on her face.

"It's not hurting you," Lily replied calmly, but she threw away the flower anyway.

"It's not right," Petunia insisted, but Severus could tell she wished with all her might that she could do it too. She stared at the flower in yearning and begged, "How do you do it?"

Without even thinking first, Severus leaped out and declared, "It's obvious, isn't it?" He cursed himself instantly. This was not how it was supposed to go at all. He had revealed himself too soon; she wasn't ready for him. Well, it couldn't be helped now, anyway. He would just have to make the best of it.

"What's obvious?" Lily inquired curiously.

Severus became a little more hopeful. Maybe it would work out all right after all! He leaned in closer to her, trying to ignore her sister, who had retreated away from him instinctually when he revealed himself, as he said quietly, "I know what you are."

Lily seemed confused. "What do you mean?"

Severus had been waiting for months for this moment. He took a deep breath. "You're…you're a witch," he said fervently, still whispering as to try to keep Petunia from hearing.

Far from being excited, Lily looked upset. "_That's_ not a very nice thing to say to somebody!" She strode away back toward her sister, obviously intending to leave.

Snape was startled. "No!" he cried, and chased after her. Both girls stopped at the swing set, each clutching one of the swing poles and looking disdainfully at Severus. "You _are_," he insisted earnestly. "You _are_ a witch. I've been watching you for a while. But there's nothing wrong with that. My mum's one, and I'm a wizard."

Lily's Muggle sister, Petunia, burst out into callous laughter. "Wizard! _I_ know who _you_ are. You're that Snape boy!" Severus gave Petunia a non-committal stare in return. Why was she interfering, anyway? _She_ didn't even know what she was talking about! This was supposed to be between Severus and Lily. "They live down Spinner's End by the river," Petunia added to Lily, her voice full of disgust. "Why have you been spying on us?" she asked as her gaze returned to Severus.

"Haven't been spying," Severus corrected. It was true, he hadn't been _spying_ on them exactly… he just loved to watch this stunning girl day after day, the girl who was now looking at him with a mixture of wariness and pity. Of course, he would just as soon the Muggle not be there, but he couldn't do anything about that. "Wouldn't spy on _you_, anyway," he clarified. "_You're_ a Muggle." The look on his face now mirrored her own, both staring in disgust at each other while Lily looked on, seeming like she didn't quite know whose side to be on. Severus knew that Lily's compassionate nature would have her show some pity for the poor boy who couldn't even afford some decent clothes, but it seemed that her loyalty to her sister won out in the end.

"Lily, come on, we're leaving!" Petunia commanded, and Lily followed immediately, glaring at Severus. She turned her back on him, and the two sisters left Severus alone to berate himself in silence once more.

_Author's note: Wow! You read all the way to the end! Does that mean you actually liked it?! Remarkable. Or, perhaps you just had nothing better to do. ____ In any event, thanks for reading, and please comment! This is my first fic that I actually managed to complete (I know, I know, it's two pages long and half of it isn't even my words, but _still_), so any constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Seriously, give me feedback. Thanks again for reading!_


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